Anesco is the first company to secure a Renewable Obligation Certificate in the UK for its solar+storage sites. This confirms that renewable energy storage is clearly gaining importance in the country.

In the UK, accredited renewable energy generators whose energy is used for batteries may now be allowed to receive Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs). Decisions about this are made by the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem). They are part of the Renewables Obligation scheme, which assigns renewable obligation certificates to qualified entities.

First company has secured ROC

The first renewable energy company to benefit from this is Anesco. The UK business announced this week that three of their solar+storage ground-mount plants, located in Northampton, Chesterfield and Stratford-upon-Avon, and all 5-MW solar sites with 1.1-MWh batteries, have qualified for this. Anesco is operating 28 storage sites across the U.K., with a combined 29 MW of storage capacity.

Ofgem appreciates importance of smart energy storage

Luke Hargreaves, Head of Renewables at Ofgem, explained earlier this month that this is due to the fact that batteries can assist with system balancing and save consumers money by matching supply and demand. He further elaborated that “last month, Ofgem published its join plan with the government on smart systems and flexibility, covering storage. We plan to publish guidance on the arrangements for storage under the renewable obligation and feed-in tariff schemes later this year and will be seeking stakeholder feedback.” According to Hargreaves, co-location of storage facilities is possible under the current legislative framework, as the Anesco sites clearly prove.

Anesco excited about consequences for future

Anesco’s executive chairman Steve Shine is excited about the consequences this might have for the company. While he said that the company cannot publish its methodology, he also confirmed that it will be speaking to its investors to offer the chance to add battery capability at all of its existing solar sites.

“Ofgem will be issuing guidance to the industry on how this can work,” Shine was quoted. “We have long seen the opportunity that energy storage presents, installing the U.K.’s first utility scale unit back in 2014. Since then we have been working hard to ensure it’s a commercially-viable proposition and we’re delighted to be first to step up and make it work with ROC sites.“